The Rainbow Children

Infobox Album | Name = The Rainbow Children
Type = Album
Artist = Prince


Released = November 20, 2001
Recorded = 2000–2001
Genre = Pop, Rock, Funk
Length = 68:49
Label = NPG, Redline Enetertainment
Producer = Prince
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aikxikpabb19~T1 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/prince/albums/album/308676/review/5942139/rainbow_children link] | Last album = "The Very Best of Prince"
(2001)
This album = "The Rainbow Children"
(2001)
Next album = "One Nite Alone..."
(2002)

"The Rainbow Children" is an album by Prince, released in 2001. It was also released through Prince's [http://www.npgmusicclub.com website] earlier in the year. It is the first album released outside of the NPG Music Club to be released under the name of Prince again, as he had reverted back to his previous stage name from his symbolic moniker a year earlier.

This concept album illustrates common Prince themes of spirituality and human sexuality, as well as love and racism, through the fictitious story of a social movement toward a Martin Luther King, Jr.-inspired utopian society. The album seems to allude to his recent conversion to the Jehovah's Witnesses religion, but Egyptian monotheism and New Age concepts such as the Akashic records are used as metaphors as well. Jazzier than any of his previous efforts, fan reaction was divided when this album was released. Some fans saw the album as a musical and spiritual evolution for Prince.

Musically, "The Rainbow Children" marked a shift towards a more "organic" sound for Prince. Unlike its predecessors, the album featured live drums, and made ample use of horns. Many songs were performed live during Prince's 2002 "One Nite Alone" tour, which became an instant success with fans and critics alike.

"The Rainbow Children" was released through the independent distributor, Redline Entertainment, and has sold 158,000 copies in U.S. stores as of summer 2007 [Christman, Ed, "Retail Track: Purple Brain", "Billboard", August 4, 2007.]

The album also had a dedicated promotional website that offered the track "She Loves Me 4 Me" as a free mp3 download.

Track listing

# "Rainbow Children" – 10:03
# "Muse 2 the Pharaoh" – 4:21
# "Digital Garden" – 4:07
# "The Work, pt. 1" – 4:28
# "Everywhere" – 2:55
# "The Sensual Everafter" – 2:58
# "Mellow" – 4:24
# "1+1+1 is 3" – 5:17
# "Deconstruction" – 2:00
# "Wedding Feast" – 0:54
# "She Loves Me 4 Me" – 2:49
# "Family Name" – 8:17
# "The Everlasting Now" – 8:18
# "Last December" – 7:58

ingles and Hot 100 Chart Placings

* "The Work, pt. 1"
# "The Work, pt. 1" (Sold through the [http://www.npgmusicclub.com|NPG Music Club] )

Promotional singles

* "She Loves Me 4 Me" (Promotional single)
# "She Loves Me 4 Me" "(Sent to radio stations)"

References

External links

"The Rainbow Children" [http://www.dtt-lyrics.com/albums/trc.html lyrics]